Dan Viratos never imagined that going to the hospital for a simple surgical procedure would turn into such a nightmare.

Eight years ago, Viratos, a resident of Loomis (Placer County), had knee replacement surgery after he was badly injured from a work accident at work. He had to return for additional surgery six years later to repair a tendon below his knee. That's when his real problems began. Dan's surgery went smoothly, but he soon discovered that he had developed an infection from the procedure. As a result, he had to return to the hospital for two additional surgeries to clean out the infection, a third surgery to remove his artificial knee and a fourth surgery to replace it. Dan missed a total of 13 months from work and ended up losing his job.

Unfortunately, Dan's story is all too common. But legislation that state lawmakers have sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for his approval is aimed at making hospital-acquired infections far less likely.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 2 million Americans develop infections while in the hospitals for other health problems. Of those, about 90,000 people die each year, making hospital- acquired infections a leading cause of death in the U.S. In California, the Department of Health Services estimates that 7,200 to 9,600 deaths occur annually from hospital infections. Think about it: That's more deaths than from auto accidents and homicides combined. Or more than 25 capacity-loaded airliners going down over California -- something we'd never tolerate.

Of course many more Californians, like Dan, suffer needlessly and endure longer stays in the hospital recovering from infection-related illnesses. Depending on the type of infection, patients can spend anywhere from 1 to 30 days being treated. Those extra treatments and additional days in the hospital add a considerable amount to the tab paid by insurers, consumers and taxpayers for health care -- as much as $5 billion annually according to the CDC. California spends untold millions of dollars each year to cover hospital infection-related treatment for those who depend on state and local-government sponsored health-care programs.

Studies show that hospitals can reduce infection rates significantly by proper implementation of infection control practices, especially hand washing. Unfortunately, many hospitals have not done so. According to the National Quality Forum, hand-washing compliance rates are generally less than 50 percent. Many hospitals track their own infection rates, especially in intensive-care units or neonatal wards where infections are common or patients are particularly susceptible.

But hospitals in California are not required to report infection rates to any regulatory agency. That could change if Schwarzenegger signs into law a bill passed by the state Legislature that requires hospitals to disclose publicly their infection rates. Hospitals are already required to report information about each patient to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. SB1487 would also require that they report the rate at which their patients develop certain infections during treatment, and it would mandate that the agency disclose this information to the public.

Similar reporting requirements recently have been adopted in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Florida. Several states have established mandatory hospital-reporting requirements for such things as the outcome of heart surgeries, which has helped to improve the quality of care that patients receive. Likewise, public reporting of hospital-acquired infection data will give hospitals a much stronger incentive to reduce the rate of infections.

It has been over two years since Dan Viratos contracted a hospital infection following his knee surgery, but he remains in constant pain because of the ordeal that followed. He recognizes that all surgeries come with risk, but still gets frustrated thinking about how an infection he believes was preventable changed his life. SB1487 would shine the spotlight on a serious public health problem and pressure hospitals to minimize infection risks. It will help Californians make more informed choices so they can protect themselves and their families when they need to turn to a hospital for health care. We urge the governor to enact this important law.